O’BRIEN: AGENTS DOOMED WITHOUT NEW TECH

TRAVEL agents who think they can run sustainable businesses without investing in technology are doomed, warns Tramada chief executive Jo O’brien. She cites a Boston Consulting Group study that found tech-savvy, and especially cloudsavvy, small and medium size businesses can increase revenue 15 percentage points faster than technology laggards. She also points to risks relating to outdated technology, warning agents that one reason they may struggle to excite new, younger people into joining the industry is the antiquated way in which many businesses operate. “Recent generations entering the workforce are looking for technology tools that allow them to move seamlessly from their personal lives to business lives without complex training courses that operate in classrooms and go for days,” she says. “They want their training to be available online, delivered in bite sized chunks and accessible whenever and wherever they want it to be. “They want their products to be intuitive, cloud based with ‘wiki’ like help and with online, trackable suppor t. They will not ‘get’ sitting on a phone for 45 minutes waiting for reservations or support teams to pick up a landline phone that ties them to a desk,” she says. O’brien acknowledges that choosing the right technology can be difficult. “Choosing modern technology with a commitment to staying up-to-date with future development and a track record offers a wide range of advantages including greater security, better customer retention and happier, more productive employees. “Tramada... has invested more than 150,000 hours to ensure our systems are leading edge, but we know that’s not enough,” she says. “We have a process of continuous development to ensure that we stay ahead of the curve.” O’brien says travel customers also evaluate businesses based on the technology used. “They demand that their travel agents are smart, know destinations and where to find the right products, but they also want evidence that they are forward thinking and have access to smart, seamless technology that collates and delivers information by whatever mode that suits the traveller,” she says. “Recent changes to the Privacy Act mean travel agents have a responsibility to their customers to ensure they protect their data and that the technology providers to the travel agency also have appropriate data security measures in place. “This can only be achieved by using modern, best of breed technologies provided by reputable companies. All of this sounds onerous but it doesn’t have to be, technology must be an enabler and Tramada has been enabling travel agents to stay ahead of the curve.”